Who's Who in the Buildings Market 2004: Wal-Mart Stores Inc.

The 2004 'A' List

According to company records, “the company Sam [Walton] built has become the world’s No. 1 retailer. Diversification into grocery (Wal-Mart Supercenters and Neighborhood Markets), international operations, and membership warehouse clubs (SAM’s Clubs) has created greater opportunities for growth.” Of the company’s more than 1 billion-square-foot portfolio of properties, the domestic properties total square footage in excess of 911.1 million square feet. Of these numbers, 1,494 (or 145 million square feet) are U.S. Wal-Mart stores; 1,385 (or 275 million square feet) are U.S. Supercenters; 532 (or 68.1 million square feet) are U.S. SAM’s Clubs; and 56 (or 422.9 million square feet) are U.S. Neighborhood Markets.

[Editors’ Note: It’s irresistible. It’s immovable. And it’s growing. For the fiscal year beginning Feb. 1, 2004, Bentonville, AR-based Wal-Mart Stores Inc. announced a continuation of its aggressive unit growth, with plans to open 50 to 55 new discount stores, and 220 to 230 new Supercenters (of which approximately 140 will be relocations or expansions of existing discount stores). In its Neighborhood Market concept, the organization is planning to add approximately 25 to 30 new units over the next year. At the same time, the SAM’s Club division will open 35 to 40 domestic facilities, approximately 20 of which will be relocations or expansions of existing clubs. With five distribution centers under way and international plans to open 130 to 140 units in exisiting markets, this giant is only getting bigger.]